Planning a wedding during the COVID-19 Pandemic - Advice & Resources for Couples
I think we can all agree that the last couple of months have sucked! As a Fort Worth Dallas wedding photographer, social distancing is the exact opposite of what we do and how we make a living. And because we don’t know how long this may last, the full impact is still “in the air”, no pun intended. Obviously with the coronavirus pandemic, it’s not “business as usual” for all the vendors and wedding photographers in Dallas Fort Worth.
Bet let’s try to be positive and remind us that this is temporary, Covid-19 is not cancelling your love or commitment to each other. Let’s do a proper and safe Covid-19 wedding planning!
As we are all in this together we have to come up with solutions and support each other, and our community in this temporary reality. That’s what we are doing at IGOR Photography.
With so much uncertainty surrounding us, I share and understand the frustrations and worries of what comes next with my engaged couples and fellow wedding vendors. I definitely understand the anger and heartbreak that many of couples are experiencing right now. It’s not easy to cope with the additional wedding planning stress in a time of COVID-19, we we can ease that stress with proper planning and expectations.
COVID Wedding Ideas & Planning Help
Planning a wedding during the Coronavirus Pandemic is not easy. A lot of engaged couples have postponed and even cancelled their weddings altogether, it’s very sad but understandable. I think that we need to adapt to our new temporarily reality and come up with solutions that will ease the stress and frustration, and allow us to have beautiful weddings despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Love in the Time of COVID- 19 is real. Couples still fall in love and want to get married during the current coronavirus outbreak. We just have to be both safe and flexible during these challenging times. This is a true testimony of their love “in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.”
This is what we recommend at IGOR Photography:
Uncomfortable but important Questions to consider:
What are the current restrictions in our area?
How long will social distancing last and group restrictions last?
Is it better to wait until a big wedding reception is possible, or should engaged couples find a different way to celebrate?
Is it even possible to book a date with a venue or wedding photographer, or other vendor in the next year with all the rescheduled weddings occupying future availability?
What if the virus comes back in cycles next year?
Do we have to wear masks during the wedding?
What is your comfort level and risk tolerance?
Should we invite grandparents and elderly to the wedding?
There are so many questions that you have in preparation for your wedding already, and the Covid-19 pandemic has added a whole new level of questions. But don’t panic, you will get through this with proper flexible Covid-19 wedding planning, a positive attitude and the help of great wedding vendors.
Photo by Fort Worth-Dallas photographer Igor
Things to consider for your wedding planning:
Get a wedding insurance, that will give you the peace of mind knowing that the insurance will kick in in case the city implements shutdowns due to the coronavirus or the wedding venue goes bankrupt, etc.
Limit the amount of invitations, plan for a smaller wedding or a “Shift Wedding”, it’s a celebration with multiple small groups of guests on the couple’s original wedding day by shifting either the time or location of people to meet social distancing and CDC group gathering guidelines. This would generally mean that one group of guests experience the ceremony and perhaps a small cocktail party and another group joins for the reception.
Have the wedding outdoors if possible.
Plan an elopement instead of a big wedding, wedding venues have now small group or “elopement packages” available, and at IGOR Photography we have elopement photography collections that might fit your exact needs.
If you have to, postpone, don’t cancel!. Have multiple ceremonies and a Sequel Wedding at a later date. Typically, the first wedding is more intimate in nature (for example a micro- or mini wedding, minimony or an elopement), followed by a larger-scale second wedding, which oftentimes involves a grand reception party.
Consider breaking up the ceremony and reception to two different days, so you can limit the amount of guests that you invite. You can first get married in a small ceremony and then wait for a later and bigger wedding reception. It’s important to remember that a marriage and a wedding are different and they don’t need to happen on the same day.
If you had to postpone your wedding and you don’t want to get married at the courthouse, you can always have a “Commitment Ceremony”, it’s a none legal way to mark your devotion to each other, while you wait for the legal ceremony at a later date. The commitment ceremony is just for the couple that can take any form with vows and virtual gatherings of family members,
Have a “Minimony”, It’s a legal mini ceremony and includes a formal gathering of up to 10 guests, if you want to keep a strict social distance away from loved ones, you can always invite people to drive by and congratulate you.
Have a back up plan if restrictions kick in, that limits the amount of people that can gather.
Be flexible with the wedding dates if all the Saturdays are booked for next year. Consider a weekday wedding.
Video chat with your vendors instead of in person consultations.
Have your DFW bridal portraits and engagement photography sessions taken during the long wait for your next years wedding, especially if you had to postpone it. This will keep you and your guests excited about your upcoming wedding, share those photos on social media and use them for the invitations.
Send out a sweet virtual video message to your guest and family during these anti social times, and let them know how much you love and care for them, these can be done before and during the wedding.
Video live stream your wedding to couples that can’t attend due to local restrictions, venue or travel restrictions. Video live streaming of the ceremony and reception is also something that we can do at IGOR Photography. You can now even have more guests enjoy your wedding virtually. Elevate the virtual experience with our live streaming of weddings!
Ask vendors if they are flexible and if they offer complimentary rescheduling in case the needs arises where you have to move the wedding date. At IGOR Photography we work with our clients during these uncertain times, and we offer complimentary rescheduling.
Work only with vendors that takes your health and safety seriously, and that implements appropriate Covid-19 safety measures and standards in the way that they conduct their business.
At IGOR Photography and Films we take all the precautions in order to keep everyone safe by taking care of our health, staying at home as much as possible, wearing masks, washing hands, disinfecting studio and equipment, and practicing social distancing.
Stay focused, positive, and strong, you got this!
While some of these restrictions and changes are not exactly what couples imagined for the wedding, remember the marriage itself is the whole reason for the celebration, and we can always make the marriage happen, even under a pesky quarantine. You can be legally married and have an awesome wedding. That’s the important part, so don’t hesitate to get married. This is about you and your love, and not even a pandemic can stop the power of love.
Love Isn't canceled, and neither Is your wedding!
Additional Resources for Wedding Planning During The CoronaVirus Pandemic
Stay up to date on the latest regulations in your state and city– visit each state's and cities health websites and find about the local regulations and restrictions.
We also recommend keeping up with the latest updates from the CDC (read the page about “Considerations for Events and Gatherings”) and WHO.
You probably reached this page because you searched for wedding planning during Covid-19, Wedding Planning Tips Regarding Coronavirus, How to plan your wedding during the coronavirus pandemic or planning a wedding during coronavirus pandemic or Dallas wedding photography during Covid-19. I hope that this post helped you a little bit :)